Can You Paint Stained Kitchen Cabinets

If your cabinets are damaged or have peeling paint or really shiny surfaces either from the material or a shiny coating you ll probably need to lightly sand to help the new paint bond better.

Can you paint stained kitchen cabinets.

And while this isn t the holy grail for deciding what to do you get the final decision it will help you understand why stain or paint could be the best finish for your cabinets and your home. Cracks gouges and other issues on the wood will show through the painted finish if you don t fix them first. Stripping and restaining kitchen cabinets is a task of monumental proportions which is why many previously stained cabinets end up painted. Painting your cabinets can give them a fresh look but if the cabinets have already been stained you ll have to do a little prep to get the paint to adhere.

First you ll need to strip the stain off of your cabinet surfaces before applying primer and paint. If you don t clean it off the paint can t stick well. Check the paint label on the can for specific instructions. Painting also allows you an almost infinite color pallet.

But if the doors are smooth not slick to the touch you can likely skip the sanding step as long as you do a few bits of prep first. Paint adheres well over water based stain so after completing the prep steps outlined above apply a water based latex. Deciding whether to leave your cabinets stained or to paint them is a huge decision. Wood cabinets details to consider.

Choose a high quality paint. Applicator options for repainting include spraying rolling or brushing with either a natural or synthetic bristle brush or a foam brush. Wood cabinets are ideal for painting but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted. Use latex primer and paint when painting over a water based wood stain.

Stain and varnish are different products though there are combination products like minwax s polyshades. Yes you can stain cabinets that currently have paint on them. If the woodwork is warped badly worn or damaged or coming apart at the glued joints you can opt to buy new unfinished doors and drawers and paint them along with your existing cabinets. Laminate cabinets require a special bonding primer.

Is stain and finish varnish the same thing.